Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Superpower Bureau

The bus slowly pulled up to the main gate of Cyan Yang Martial Arts Academy. However, instead of the orderly registration scene they had expected, they were met with absolute chaos.

Hundreds of students were split into several factions, intensely arguing and shoving each other at the entrance. Incessant cursing filled the air. A few of the more hot-tempered individuals had already raised their fists; the situation was on the verge of spiraling out of control.

Huai Yongge’s convoy happened to arrive at that moment and immediately hit the brakes.

His brows furrowed tightly. Huai Yongge quickly stepped out of his vehicle, flanked by several military officers and guards. His powerful aura instantly blanketed the entire area.

"Stop right there! What do you think you’re doing?!"

Infused with True Qi, his low shout exploded like a clap of thunder, instantly drowning out all the clamor.

The arguing students were stunned by the sudden show of might. Their movements stiffened as they all turned to look. Upon recognizing the military personnel in charge of the assessment—and especially upon feeling the murderous aura radiating from Huai Yongge and his men, which was far beyond what any student could muster—their arrogance instantly deflated.

On the bus, Fang Chen and his fellow passengers were intimidated by the display. Staring at the tense atmosphere outside, no one dared to disembark. It wasn’t until Huai Yongge and his men forcibly separated the conflicting factions and restored a semblance of order that Fang Chen became the first to stand up and exit the bus.

Seeing him move, the other students finally dared to carefully follow him out one by one. They huddled together, watching nervously.

Fang Chen spotted Company Commander Jia standing off to the side, rubbing his temples. He looked exhausted and exasperated, having seemingly just finished dealing with the dispute.

He walked over and asked in a low voice, "Company Commander Jia, what’s going on here?"

Seeing it was Fang Chen, Company Commander Jia sighed. "Ugh, don’t even mention it. Something like this happens almost every year during the Martial Dao exam registration. It’s practically a traditional performance at this point."

He pointed at the two factions of students who were still glaring daggers at each other. "Every year, when the examinees from the surrounding cities meet these local students from Cyan Yang City, there’s always some friction."

Fang Chen looked thoughtful. "Is it because... the city kids look down on us outsiders?"

Company Commander Jia chuckled with a hint of mockery. "Heh, it’s not purely a matter of looking down on you; the reasons are a bit more complex. First off, a portion of the students in Cyan Yang City—especially those from local families—have always viewed this Martial Arts Academy as their own private backyard. They believe the enrollment quotas should inherently prioritize them, so they aren’t happy to see so many outsiders coming in to carve up their resources.

"Secondly, it’s true that some local students carry a sense of superiority in their bones. They inevitably act and speak with arrogance, looking down on those from the lower-tier cities. They think you guys are country bumpkins and often offend people with their words."

Sweeping his gaze over a few shifty-eyed, tough-looking figures among the outsider students, Company Commander Jia continued, "As for the third reason, some of the incoming students really are restless troublemakers who harbor ill intentions."

He pointed at a youth dressed in flashy clothes with a rebellious gaze among the opposing group. "See that one? He’s from Yicang City, name’s Ma Ba. A Tier-3 Superpower User.

"Just now, it was him. He used his superpower to play dirty and pickpocketed a spare Spiritual Crystal Stone and a wallet from a Cyan Yang City student. To be precise, he stole more than one, but this time he was caught red-handed by the victim. That’s how this whole mess started.

"That Ma Ba is a notorious local bully back in Yicang City, always followed by a gang of lackeys from his hometown. His style is pretty similar to that Celestial King guy from your past. Naturally, he refused to back down, and friction broke out between the two sides.

"And then, some of the Martial Artists from Cyan Yang City painted everyone with too broad a brush, spouting nonsense like ’everyone from the lower cities is a broke thief.’ That instantly angered a lot of law-abiding Martial Artists from the other cities, escalating it from a personal conflict into a group argument that almost came to blows. Thank God we arrived just in time. Otherwise, it would’ve been a massive brawl, and a whole batch of them would be hospitalized before the Martial Dao exam even started.

"Heh, unlike you, his behavior is purely that of a common street thug. However, you’ll all be living and studying here from now on. Conflicts like this will probably be unavoidable, so watch your back."

Fang Chen nodded. He was just about to speak when the wail of police sirens approached from a distance. Personnel from multiple departments arrived at the scene almost one after another.

There were academy security guards, police officers, and personnel from the Martial Arts Association. For a large-scale conflict like this, it had to be said that the police department’s efficiency was remarkably high.

The leaders of the three parties gathered together and discussed the matter in hushed tones for a moment before quickly reaching a consensus.

A Steward from the Martial Arts Association stepped forward and announced in a booming voice, "Yicang City examinee Ma Ba and his accomplices—eleven individuals in total—are suspected of using superpowers to repeatedly steal personal property. They have been caught with the stolen goods and have incited a mass riot. They will now be taken into custody by the Martial Arts Association for investigation and processing! Everyone else, disperse immediately! No gathering allowed!"

With official forces intervening, the once-arrogant Ma Ba and his gang suddenly looked as if they had been grabbed by the throat. Although they still looked defiant and muttered dirty curses under their breath, they had no choice but to hang their heads dejectedly under the intimidation of the law enforcement officers, allowing themselves to be escorted toward the Association’s vehicles parked by the roadside.

However, just as they were about to be shoved into the cars...

"VROOM—ROAR!"

A deep, furious engine roar tore through the air. A motorcycle charged onto the scene, executed a sharp tail-whip, and stopped dead in the center of the conflict. The kicked-up dust nearly slapped the faces of the department leaders.

This sudden turn of events drew everyone’s attention. Fang Chen noticed that the expressions of the Martial Arts Association staff and the police officers instantly soured, even revealing a few hints of veiled apprehension.

The newcomer rode a rugged, heavily modified black motorcycle. Two young men sat on the bike, both clad in pure white uniforms. The style and texture of these uniforms instantly reminded Fang Chen of the Spirit Awakener he had seen back at the Talent Evaluation Center in Jinchuan City.

The rider took off his helmet first, revealing a handsome face with a roguish charm. His gaze was unruly, a nonchalant smile playing on his lips as he casually hooked a pair of sunglasses onto his collar.

The man behind him was slightly slower in his movements, boasting a lean, powerful physique and a piercing gaze.

The rider spoke with a lazy drawl. "What’s going on here? All this racket, and you’re hauling people away?"

The Martial Arts Association Steward who had previously announced the decision wore a stiff expression. Forcing a tight smile, he stepped forward to explain, "Captain Cong, here’s the situation. These students used their superpowers to steal multiple people’s property. They harbor wicked intentions, and after being caught, they showed no remorse and incited a conflict. We caught them with the stolen goods and were just about to take them back to the Association to be processed according to regulations."

"Caught with the stolen goods?"

Captain Cong scoffed, casually picking his ear. "How conclusive is this evidence? Just because a few people saw it?

"Can you guarantee there was no influence from other superpowers, like consciousness invasion or mental suggestion?

"What if someone is framing them and just looking for a scapegoat?"

He didn’t give the Steward a chance to defend himself at all. Waving his hand dismissively, his tone was ironclad: "Release them! The rest of you, disperse!"

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